Our Dear Friend, Fluttershy
by The Lilac Elf of Lothlorien
Summary: A short story inspired by a MLP comic by Lucy-tan. Tragedy strikes the HuMain Six. (Rating for one brief swear from Applejack) Set in the Equestria Girls universe


AUTHOR'S NOTES: So this short story is based on a fan comic by Lucy-tan titled 'Remembering Fluttershy'. The comic is a beautiful dedication to a wonderful character and it's over on DeviantArt if you want to look it up. Or look in Pintrest under the search 'MLP comics'. Bring tissues. LOTS of tissues.

Now I didn't want to take the title of the fan art for this story because I wanted to come up with my own title. So I used the title of a song from the audio drama 'Bride of Discord' which is on YouTube-look up DisneyFanatic2364-and which I also highly recommend.

Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

MLP: Equestria Girls—Our Dear Friend, Fluttershy

_The hospital waiting room was as quiet as the—No. No, none of them were going to even think that word or anything connected to it._

_It couldn't happen._

_It wouldn't happen._

_Not to the kindest, sweetest, best person any of them had ever known._

* * *

Apple Bloom had witnessed the accident and it was hard for her to describe to her siblings—or the police for that matter—what had happened.

"Sh-sh-she w-w-was passin' out flyers f-for that fundraiser f-for the new animal s-sanctuary," Apple Bloom blubbered to her older sister, Applejack who instantly paled at the news. "The dog f-froze in the middle of the street, a-a-and…"

Applejack wasted no time texting the rest of her friends before running full speed towards the hospital, not even noticing her brother and sister chasing after her.

* * *

'**Fluttershy was hit by a car. Meet me at the hospital.'**

Everything faded from Rarity's mind as she read the text message and even though her newest dress—one she'd been designing and working on for the past month—was getting chewed up and mangled by her sewing machine, she didn't care.

Grabbing her purse and dashing to her car, she didn't care that her make-up was running because of the tears streaming down her face.

Surely it wasn't as bad as she thought, Rarity hoped fervently. Fluttershy was probably bruised and scraped a bit, but she'd be fine.

Wouldn't she?

* * *

The instant Rainbow Dash read the message from Applejack, she felt the rush of magic inside her and she felt her wings appear. Without any hesitation, she flew across down as fast as she could, snatching up Pinkie Pie and Sunset Shimmer and getting to the hospital just as AJ and Rarity arrived.

Bursting into the lobby, they quickly asked about Fluttershy and were directed upstairs where the young woman was in surgery.

In the surgical waiting room, Fluttershy's parents were beside themselves with worry and greeted their daughter's friends with hugs and halfhearted words of comfort.

As time ticked away, anxieties increased as they all wondered if the lack of news was a good thing or a bad thing.

Just as Pinkie Pie volunteered to go get drinks and snacks for everyone, she was stopped by the arrival of a doctor in surgical scrubs.

For a split second, everyone's hearts leapt in hope that they were about to hear that Fluttershy would be fine.

But the doctor's eyes were sorrowful and as he looked at the crowd of people, all he could say was, "I'm sorry. She's gone."

No one moved or said a word for a full two minutes before Applejack let out an anquished wail. "_Nooooo!"_

Running from the room, she burst through the doors of the surgical wing and finally stopped dead outside the operating room where Fluttershy's… Where her best friend's body lay, still on the operating table.

Walking in, ignoring the doctors and nurses staring at her, Applejack closed her eyes tight as she felt a rush of hot anger sear through her as she screamed, "How could you do this to us? How could you just leave us like this, huh? I _thought_ you were supposed to be the 'Element of _Kindness_'! How is this _KIND_?"

Dropping to her knees, sobbing loudly, Applejack wanted to scream and curse at the driver who had murdered her friend! She wanted to them to feel the anger and pain that she felt.

"Applejack?"

Sunset Shimmer tentatively walked into the room to comfort her grieving friend but seeing Fluttershy dead, she also started crying.

"I want him to suffer!" Applejack shouted, looking up at Sunset. "I want the son of a bitch who killed Fluttershy to rot in jail for the rest of his life!"

Pulling AJ to her feet, Sunset wrapped her in a hug, looking away from the operating table.

But Applejack backed away and went to touch Fluttershy's still warm cheek. "I promise… I promise on every last apple tree my family owns…"

Ready to advise against revenge, Sunset reached out a hand to touch AJ's shoulder but stopped when AJ finished, wiping away tears as she spoke in a determined whisper. "I promise… We'll get that sanctuary built for you. We'll make your dream a reality."

Sunset put an arm around Applejack's shoulders and guided her back to the waiting room where both girls were hugged by Apple Bloom.

"I'm sorry, Applejack," Apple Bloom said, quietly. "I-I wish I had—"

"Don't!" AJ said, shaking her head and hugging her little sister even tighter. "If I'd have lost you…" Kneeling down so she was more face to face with the younger girl, AJ gave her a stern look. "It's not your fault, sugar cube. I know you wish you could have done something, but… But if I'd have lost you… like I lost Mom and Dad… I couldn't live with that." Standing up, Applejack looked at the sad, grieving faces of her friends and Fluttershy's parents. "I promised Fluttershy that we'll get that animal sanctuary built… for her. Who's with me?"

Nine hands reached in, one on top of the other, each filled with promise to remember their dear friend, Fluttershy.

* * *

Fluttershy's funeral was held on a beautiful, sunny afternoon and she was laid to rest on the edge of the cemetery, next to a tree filled with singing birds.

Each of the Main Six—Main Five, Sunset thought, sadly—had made a contribution to the service.

Applejack had personally constructed Fluttershy's coffin from trees on her family's land—apple trees, of course.

Rainbow Dash had designed Fluttershy's headstone and set up a memorial in the lobby of Canterlot High School.

Pinkie Pie had thrown herself into baking food for the wake and although the others had offered to help, Pinkie insisted on doing it alone.

Rarity worked through the night on a new dress for her best friend to be buried in.

Even Twilight Sparkle had come through the portal from Equestria and added her own contribution—all six Elements of Harmony magically carved on the lid of the coffin.

Since Fluttershy's parents hadn't been able to bring themselves to write the eulogy—and since they wanted the words to come from a friend—Sunset Shimmer did what she could as far as a written tribute.

When everyone had gathered by the gravesite, Sunset slowly stood and faced the crowd, wishing that anyone else was giving the eulogy.

"There are some people whose sole purpose in life is to make the world seem brighter," Sunset began, focusing on her notes. "People whose compassion… and kindness seem almost contagious. Fluttershy was one of those people," she concluded, getting choked up. After a moment, she took a deep breath and went on. "Losing Fluttershy has been hard because I think we all feel the loss of her calming nature… her hopeful spirit. It's not right that she's gone. But we can try to live up to what she represented. There will always be something missing in our lives… and that something is our dear friend, Fluttershy."

* * *

Since Fluttershy's parents had insisted that well-wishers donate to the construction of the new animal sanctuary instead of offering flowers, there wasn't much to do as far as initial fundraising.

This, however, didn't stop all of Fluttershy's friends and family from covering the town with flyers and raising as much money as possible to help keep the place going.

The Apple Family held bake sales and sold cider for more than 2 months straight, donating every spare penny they could.

Rarity auctioned off as much of her clothes as possible with Pinkie Pie's help and even designed uniforms with butterflies on them for the sanctuary staff.

Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna offered extra credit for classes in exchange for working on building the sanctuary proper as well as caring for the animals.

The driver of the car that hit Fluttershy—a thin, weedy man named Discord—had sold his car and his small apartment to help with finances, asking only for permission to live in the back room of the sanctuary so he could help make up for his act.

At first, Applejack had had to be restrained to keep from beating the man to a pulp, but when Discord broke down, sobbing, saying that he'd been haunted by his actions every day since Fluttershy's death, Rarity begrudgingly pointed out that forgiveness was what Fluttershy would have offered.

* * *

On what would have been Fluttershy's 17th birthday, The Main Five held the official Opening Party for the Fluttershy Memorial Animal Rescue Center and Sanctuary.

As they all gave tours of the facility to prospective donors and helped their fellow students take care of the animals, Fluttershy's parents actually felt their hearts lighten as some of the staff members from the old animal shelter shared stories about the young woman's hours and hours of volunteer service.

At the end of the day, when everything was closed up for the night, Discord made his way to the cemetery and sat before Fluttershy's headstone. "You would have been proud of your friends, Fluttershy. They've made your dream come true." Touching the stone, he felt tears fall down his face as he thought of the young woman whose life was cut short by his thoughtlessness.

"Nothing I could ever say or do can bring you back, my dear," Discord went on. "And there will never be a day or night where I don't see that look of fear and forgiveness on your face when my car hit you. I know your friends think I'm a monster and their forgiveness is only because they think it's what you would have done."

Getting to his feet and laying a hand on the top of the headstone, Discord made a promise then and there. "I don't care how long it takes… I will earn your friends' forgiveness. And I will always live my life with the kindness and compassion you had. And—maybe someday—I'll even be worthy of the friendship those young ladies had for you."

As Discord turned and made his way back to the animal sanctuary, he stopped, turning back to Fluttershy's grave, smiling when he saw 3 pink butterflies perching for a moment on the corner of the headstone.


End file.
